FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Contact:
Lillie Coney
EPIC Associate Director
(202) 483–1140 x 111
COALITION URGES SUSPENSION OF WHOLE BODY IMAGING IN U.S. AIRPORTS
Groups say that the privacy issues raised by the "digital strip search"
need to be resolved before the TSA makes further use of this invasive
technology.
Washington, DC – The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC),
joined by thirty organizations, today urged Secretary of Homeland
Security Janet Napolitano to suspend use of Whole Body Imaging
systems. EPIC stressed that privacy problems raised by this technology
have not been adequately addressed.
The letter is being released as the annual Computers, Freedom, and
Privacy conference opens in Washington, DC. The CFP conference has
often been the launch pad for cutting-edge Internet campaigns.
Whole Body Imaging systems, such as backscatter x-ray and millimeter
wave, capture detailed images of air travelers stripped naked. The TSA,
a part of the Homeland Security agency, claims that these systems are
necessary for airport security and that they will not save the images
of American air passengers. However, the TSA also said that these
scanners would be used only for passengers who had raised suspicions.
Now the agency announced that these new scanners would replace metal
detectors as the primary screening device for all passengers.
Following the TSA announcement, EPIC launched a national campaign
urging that the program be blocked until the privacy risks are fully
evaluated. EPIC also established the web site
"stopdigitalstripsearches.org" and created the Facebook group "Stop
Airport Strip Searches," which now has several hundred members.
EPIC also said that the vendors, L-3 and Rapiscan, should appear in
Congress and explain to the public how these systems really work.
"The TSA's reversal on the use of these devices makes clear the privacy
risk with this program," said Marc Rotenberg, EPIC Executive Director.
"There must be a thorough investigation and clear legal rules
established." Mr. Rotenberg continued, "The privacy of American air
travelers should not be left to the whim of federal officials with x-ray
cameras."
Unlike many federal programs, the TSA has gone forward with the Whole
Body Imaging program without any public comment. In their letter to
Sec. Napolitano, the organizations called for a 90-day process to allow
the public to comment on the agency's proposal.
"The TSA must be more open regarding whole body imaging. Our letter
requests a public rulemaking process to determine whether the privacy
protection measures are effective."
The groups said that the TSA should suspend the use of these scanners
as primary screening and inform travelers of their rights to other
screening techniques, such as a physical pat down or search of
carry-on bags.
Additionally, the groups said that the TSA needs to evaluate the
medical and health implications of exposure to this technology.
The organizations signing the letter included Consumer Federation of
America, ACLU, the Constitution Project, Consumer Action, Liberty
Coalition, The Rutherford Institute, and Privacy Rights Clearinghouse.
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More information is available at:
Letter Urging Suspension of Whole Body Imaging
http://privacycoalition.org/stopwholebodyimaging/
Background on Whole Body Imaging
http://epic.org/privacy/airtravel/backscatter/
Stop Digital Strip Searches web site
http://www.stopdigitalstripsearches.org/
Stop Airport Searches Facebook Group
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=179598280013
Computers Freedom and Privacy 2009
http://www.cfp2009.org/
Graphics
http://epic.org/graphics/stop_vss_hi_res.html